Subway and connection for electric railways



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented July 14, 1891.

(No Model.)

' OSNER; SUBWAY AND GO CTION FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS;

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(No Model.) I 2 S h e e t B S h e e t 2.

SUBWAY AND CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC RAILWA Y S V v UNI ED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

WVILIIAM OSNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SUBWAY AND CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS I SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 455,763, dated July 14, 1891.

Application filed October 13,1890. Serial No. 367,891. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM OSNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Subways and Qonnections for Electric Railways, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention is intended to provide economically a subway for electricrailways, wherein is conveniently supported and perfectly insulated anelectrical conductor, and also to provide improved means forestablishing connection between said conductor and the motor of the car.

In carrying out myinvention I combine iron whose foot is adapted to reston top of the foot of the track-rail and whose upright portion is placedin such position with relation to the head of the rail as to provide anarrow slot or opening into the space inclosed by the web and head ofthe rail and said L- shaped bar. The lower side of the head of the railis provided with a groove or niche, and the electrical conductor isclamped within said niche by means of a clamping-plate bolted atintervals to the head of the rail, the conductor being properlyinsulated and of such form as to project, so as to bear upon a trolleycarried by an arm connected with the motor and projected through theslot, whereby the current is taken from the stationary conductor andtransmitted through said trolley-arm to the motor on the car. The partsare of such form that they may be conveniently rolled or pressed intoshape, and therefore the construction of the subway is inexpensive,while due provision is made for proper insulation and the certaincontact of the moving trolley or brush with the conductor.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through a portion ofa road-bed of a railway at the rail, and showing in elevation on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1.

a trolley-arm projected into the subway and the trolley engaged with theconductor. Fig. 2 is a detail of the trolley-arm in cross-section Fig. 3shows asubway having two conductor-rails, whereby the electric circuitmay be made without making use of the track-rails.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates a rail such as commonly usedfor street-car tracks, and which will be supported by filling or uponstringers in the usual manner, and which may form one line of conductorfor the electric current.

. B is an L-shaped rail placed with its foot by the securing-bolts c andmade to inclosea wire D or other high conductor properly insulated fromthe arm. The lower end of the arm is U-shaped, and the upright portionthereof is apertured to receive the axle e of a trolley E, said axlebeing preferably insulatedfrom the arm, while the wire D is projectedthrough the arm, so as to contact with the axle.

F is a conductor, which in the present instance is a metal rail whoseupper end is wedge-shaped in cross-section and adapted to fit into aniche or dovetail recess formed in the rail A and the clamping-plate G,each of which is grooved correspondingly, and said clamping rail issecured to the track rail by means of the lag bolts or screws g. The

conductor is properly insulated from the rail and clamping-plate and itslower edge projects into contact with the trolleywheel. The wedge-shapedform of the conductor-rail and the corresponding shaped grooves formedin the conductor-rail and clamping-plate furnish a superior form ofconnection.

The insulating material is readily applied by simply placing it over thehead of the conductor, and the clamping-plates are secured ,to thetrack-rail by bolts which are notin contact with the conductor, andtherefore do not need to be insulated. The insulating material is alsoheld tightly packed aboutthe head of the conductor-rail at all times.

In order to prevent the entrance of any foreign matter to the trolleyand consequent loss of current by induction, a housing H may be securedwith the arm D, so as to incase the lower portion of the trolley-wheel,and its upterfering with the operation of the trolley- IQ arm, and ofcourse suitable provision may be made by man-holes at convenientdistances for cleaning the subway.

The L-shaped plate and the clamping-rail may be rolled to form if notalready found in 715 the market, and the only change necessary in theusual street-railway rail is the niche or groove in the rear of its headand the provision for the taps or bolts.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a subway formed by 20 the usual track-rail A anda modified form of the L-bar B. In this instance two conductorrails Fare employed instead of utilizing one of the track-rails in forming thecircuit; but both conductors may be utilized to supply 2 5 current byduplicating the trolley on the arm and using the track-rail or otherconductor to complete the circuit.

I do not limit my invention to the precise forms or details nor to therelative, location and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings. Ifdesired, the subway or channel might be formed on the inside instead ofupon the outside of the rail. Any suitable brush may be used instead ofthe trolley. I claim 1. A subway for electric railways, formed by thecombination, with the track-raihof a supplemental rail or bar having abearing upon the foot of the track-rail and clamping- 0 plates, wherebyto secure conductors forming parts of an electrical circuit or circuitsto one of. said rails, said rails being so positioned as to providebetween them a continuous slot for the passage of a connectorbetween'the 5 motor and the conductors, substantially as described. 2. Asubway for electric railways, compris- 1ng,,in combination with atrack-rail having a continuous groove in the rear side thereof beneaththe head, a clamping-plate having a groove corresponding to that in therail, an

electrical conductor secured in the groove and a bar or rail secured inposition with relation to the track-rail to provide therewith a slot 5 5for the passage of an arm and a chamber for a traveling brush orequivalent current-transferring device, substantially as described.

3. A subway for electric railways, comprising, in combination with thetrack-rail, a metal plate or bar having a bracing-foot adapted to beseated upon the foot of the track-rail and to form therewith a slot andchannel, the track-rail having a continuous groove therein to receive aconductor and a clamping-plate having a corresponding groove, and meansfor clamping said plate and the conductor to the track-rail,substantially as described.

4. A subway for electric railways, comprising, in combination with atrack-rail, an elec- 7o trical conductor clamped thereto, a continuousbar or plate forming with the track-ra1la slot for the passage of theshank of a currenttransferring arm, and a rotating trolley connectedwith said arm and adapted to movein contact with the conductor,substantially as described.

5. A subway for electric railways, formed by the combination of thetrack-rail and a supplemental rail, positioned to provide be tween thema continuous slot for the passage of a connector, and a conductorconsisting of a rail havinga flaring head and secured with thetrack-rail by a clamping-plate, said clampin g-plate and track-railhaving in their oppos- 8 5 ing faces dovetail grooves, substantially asdescribed.

6. A subway for electric railways, formed by the combination of thetrack-rail and a supplemental rail or bar having a bearing upon the footof the track-rail and positioned to provide between them a continuousslot for the passage of a connector, and a conductor secured with thetrack-rail byaclamping-plate, substantially as described. 5

7. A subway for electric railways, comprising, in combination with thetrack-rail, a supplemental rail or bar having a bearing upon the foot ofthe track-rail and positioned to provide a chamber beneath the head ofthe roc track-rail, and a slot for the passage of a connector, aconductor secured to the track-rail in the upper portion of saidchamber, a clamping-rail for securing said conductor, said clamping-railhaving a depending flange dividing the upper portion of the chamber fromthe slot, an armin electrical connection with the motor of a car andprojected into the subway aud bearing on an upturned portion thereof abrush, and an insulated conductor 11o carried by said arm and havingelectrical connection with the brush, substantially as described.

8. A subway for electric railways, comprising a chamber and a slotleading to said cham- I 15 her, a conductor secured within the upperportion of the chamber, an arm in electrical contact with the motor of acar and projected through the slot into the chamber and having anupturned end therein carrying a brush or no equivalentcurrent-transmitting device, and a' housing for the brush, said housinghaving .vertically-disposed walls arranged to inclose the brush, wherebythe brush is protected from waterentering through the slot,substantially as described.

WILLIAM OSNER.

Witnesses: I

O. O. LINTHICUM, FREDERICK O. Goonwnv.

